For the campers, this may also be a fit for the whole family. Consider tents, sleeping bags, ground covers, portable cookware, clothing, hatchets and telescoping hot dog sticks. There are great camping tableware, lanterns and backpacks.

Also, there are some great books on camping in California. Look to author Tom Stienstra for some of the best in outdoor advice, including books on campground reviews, hiking trails and fishing spots. Google his name for a ton of outdoor books.

The diver can be set up in your local dive shop. Ideas to fit most any budget are to be had, including a new abalone gage at $8 or a diving trip to the Caribbean sea, the South Pacific or the near east, slightly more than the abalone iron when you add in airfare.

For aspiring mushroom hunters, consider rainwear and waterproof gear for your foray into the wetness. It is a gift that can cross breed to other sports, like going to the store in a downpour or washing the SUV. Do yourself a favor and buy good stuff that breathes in the cold, damp air.

I have a pile of rainwear made of yellow plastic and some made of blue plastic with holes in the arm pits. I nearly oozed out the leg holes after two hours of hiking. You could have cooked a squirrel inside the rain suit. I give them a kick now and then, and it was a waste of money. I should donate them someday. I always reach for the fabric ones that I bought at a ski shop or the real good ones from the fishing store for wet weather protection.

For the hunter, consider things to hunt – pig, deer, ducks, bear, squirrels and many other wild things.

What, you don’t have a brace of ducks in the hall closet? A membership to a hunt club is a good idea. It’s a bit pricey, unless $2,000 or more fits your budget.

The Wilderness Unlimited group has dozens, maybe hundreds of land leases. Check them out at www.wildernessunlimited.com.

Another hunt/lease group is Golden Ram (www.goldenramhunting.com). Here you can buy memberships that allow guests. One word of advice, salespeople can be very aggressive, so be careful.

Or you can buy tickets to go to the squirrel championship in Minnesota. Judges drop a live squirrel down the pants of contestants and start the timer. You betcha.

Bill Hanson is a Sonoma County native and a lifelong sportsman. He is the former president of the Sonoma County Mycological Association. Look for his column in The Community Voice each week.